


The Miyas

by omamochi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Also Osamu best bro, Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, Kita POV, Kita and Atsumu are madly in love okay, M/M, Meeting the Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24636367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omamochi/pseuds/omamochi
Summary: “Kita, I’m saying this in the nicest way possible—there is a difference between me comin’ home with ‘Samu after practice and me comin’ home with you, myboyfriend."Kita is invited to the Miya household for dinner: sappiness and roasting ensues.
Relationships: Kita Shinsuke/Miya Atsumu
Comments: 48
Kudos: 346





	The Miyas

**Author's Note:**

> I have been absolutely smitten with atsukita as of late, so I just had to write about them being dorks in love <3

“My house is right around the corner from here.” 

“Okay.”

Atsumu choked, “How are you so calm right now? Can’t ya, be like- I don’t know, a little more _scared_?” 

“I don’t see a reason to be,” Kita shrugged. “You’re fretting over this whole thing more than I am.” 

“Kita, I’m saying this in the nicest way possible—there is a difference between me comin’ home with ‘Samu after practice and me comin’ home with you, my _boyfriend."_

After much deliberation and encouragement from Kita, Atsumu decided to come out to his parents over dinner last week. To their relief, his parents were extremely supportive of him. Kita was delighted that Atsumu’s parents reacted to the news a lot better than he expected, but Atsumu sounded weirdly dreadful when he told Kita the news. When he asked why the other boy looked so distressed over what was supposed to be a call for celebration, Atsumu told him that it was because his parents wanted him to come over for dinner on Friday. 

Kita had to admit, the sudden invitation came as a surprise to him too. He’s never met nor seen the twin’s parents before. Like most of their team’s parents, they were too busy with their jobs to come and watch their matches. But this was something that was bound to happen sooner or later. When you start dating someone, there comes to a point where you have to meet their family. Osamu didn’t count, obviously, but Kita’s curiosity of what life was like in the Miya household plagued him. Knowing how chaotic the twins can get, a bunch of questions came to mind—were their parents strict? Or were they more on the lenient side? Did they themselves amplify the twin’s rowdy behavior? Whatever it may be, he concluded that there was going to be a lot in store for him regardless. 

“I get that. But it’s a good sign that your parents wanted to meet me in the first place, no?” 

“I guess.” Atsumu kicked up a rock as they walked along the street. The neighborhood he lived in was quiet and vacant of people. It was a little before sunset, meaning most people were already home, preparing for dinner or lazing around in their rooms as it was the start of the weekend. 

“I know I probably should wait until I actually meet them, but I’m curious about the kind of folks your parents are, Atsumu. You and your brother are _real_ hassles to deal with when ya get fired up, it only makes me curious about all the headaches you put your parents through on a daily basis.” 

“Hey! Siblings fight like me and ‘Samu all the time, we ain’t special,” He huffed. “But you’re lucky, we’re actually a lot more mellow now compared to how we were as kids. Osamu was a savage- played pranks on me, told me lies just to scare me. Our Mom would always find out eventually, though. Like one time when we were 8, he told me that I was adopted and I cried for hours, that jerk. Then our Mom came home later that night and grounded him for 3 weeks! She was _so_ pissed.” Atsumu laughed at the memory. 

Osamu was perceived as the nicer twin by practically everyone, but Kita was one of the few people who saw right through his facade, because at the end of the day, he was the carbon copy of his brother— temper and immaturity included. 

“I feel bad for her, I’m sure she’s a nice lady.” 

“She _is_ super nice but man, can she scare the living hell outta ya. She’s the type to smile when she’s angry.” Atsumu shivered. “Don’t get me wrong though, when ‘Samu and I aren’t in the picture, she’s one of the sweetest people you could meet. I mean, c’mon, she likes to bake goodies for our neighbors for fun and with her being as bubbly as she is, she can make friends with just about anyone. She’s only extra strict on us 'cuz we’re her sons.”

“Can’t blame her.” He was glad their mom was there to keep the twins in check. Kita and Aran are usually the ones who have to watch over them in case they do something dumb at school. But doing that for a whole 17 years? Now that’s a feat. “And your Dad?” 

Atsumu stopped to think, “Hmm, he’s more on the quieter side for sure, but you know he’s always thinking ‘bout something. Super nonchalant and likes to be left alone. The only thing he gets fired up about is sports.” 

“Ah, so I’m assuming he's the reason you and your brother got into volleyball?” 

“Heh, you would think right? But nah, he’s actually more of a baseball kinda guy. Played from middle school to high school and all that. Never really had much interest in volleyball. He was nothing but supportive when we started playing, though.” 

“I see.” 

They finally reached the gate of the Miya household— it was a typical modern two-story house with white bricked walls on both sides and “Miya” written in Kanji on a light, brown oak plaque that was placed on the left side. Atsumu slid the front gate open and guided him up the smooth, stone steps that led to the front door. 

Kita couldn’t help but take note of the well taken care of greenery that surrounded the vicinity of the house. The bushes that covered the sides of the garden seemed as if they were recently trimmed and tended to. It was obvious that whoever took the effort to keep up the garden did a very good job. Other noticeable features were the two Japanese black pine trees that framed the pathway to the entrance. It was complete with flowers ranging from bold pinks and soft yellows planted along the pathway. Kita appreciated all of the small details that weren’t lost in the noise of everything. 

“Who takes care of all this?” Kita asked, giving attention to a particular row of hanging succulents right above where he was standing.

“My mom does. She loves this kinda stuff, every time we go to the store I gotta pry her away from the gardening section before she takes home a million more plants.” 

“She seems to have good taste at least.”

The entrance to the house was simple but inviting— he stood on a small worn welcome mat that was a light brown, most likely due to age. On his left was a steel umbrella rack that had five clear plastic umbrellas and one small, bright green froggy print umbrella that had a plastic smile beaming back at Kita. He made a mental note to ask which twin that umbrella belonged to later. He knew they would put the ownership on each other to avoid being exposed to owning such a childish thing. His bet was that it belonged to Atsumu though. 

On his right was a shoe rack with a familiar pair of black volleyball shoes sitting at the top— Osamu was already home. 

“Kita?” 

“Hm?”

“It would... mean a lot to me if you and my family got along. You obviously know 'Samu ’cuz we all play volleyball together so he doesn’t matter,” He shifted the weight of his feet, stuffing his hands in his jacket. He looked uncharacteristically anxious. “You’re my first boyfriend. And you’re also the first person who I brought home. Heck, I haven’t even brought friends over before. So my parents actually inviting you to eat with us tonight and you agreeing to come over is kind of a big deal to me.” 

He never thought of Atsumu to be one to worry about things like that. The blond often painted himself as someone who didn’t care about what others thought, which was true for the most part. But the other side that Kita sees from time to time never ceased to surprise him, deep down he liked seeing him become his secretly cautious, thoughtful self. 

Kita reached out to give him a reassuring squeeze of the hand, “I appreciate you being so worried, but I can handle myself. There’s really no need for you to be so antsy, Atsumu.” 

He knew he was right, there really was no need for him to be afraid. Kita never felt nervous talking to adults— he learned to be a polite, unassuming person throughout all his years in school thanks to the instruction of his teachers and his granny. It also helped that he tended to agree with the adults on many things, so his level of maturity for his age made it easier to get along with them. One time Atsumu jokingly said that he was an old person trapped in an 18 year old’s body, which earned him an unimpressed look in return. 

Atsumu gave him a lopsided smile and brought their clasped hands to his lips, “You’re a confident one aren’t ya?” 

“You’re one to talk.” 

They both removed their shoes— Atsumu slipping them off of his feet, not caring that doing so would leave an ugly crease at the back of it, and Kita, who delicately untied his laces before smoothly removing them. 

Once both of his shoes were off, Atsumu carelessly threw them onto the top of the rack, sending Osamu’s one flying in the process. Kita, feeling irked at his sheer sloppiness, clicked his tongue and went to grab the other twin’s poor shoe that was left astray. He then neatly placed all of their shoes in a neat row.

“You’re a slop.”

“But you love me.” 

Kita reached to pinch Atsumu’s cheek, who winced in response. 

Kita’s bickering comments always lacked bite. It was more of a form of affection for them really. Kita secretly enjoyed this part of their relationship— they nagged at each other often in good humor because they had enough mutual trust to know that they would never hurt the other with their words intentionally. If there was something they needed to seriously address, they would talk about it maturely. His typical cold logic, though it still scared Atsumu, was important in being completely honest with one another. Otherwise, if they didn’t express themselves in a straightforward way, there would be too many secrets and resentful feelings between them. The connection they had was filled with trust, respect, honesty, and communication. Despite their relationship not being perfect, Kita would never trade it for the world. 

“I’m sure your family is waiting for us. We can’t have dinner at your front porch can we?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Atsumu replied, rubbing his cheek. 

He opened the front door and greeted “I’m home” once he was fully inside. Kita shut the door behind them and greeted whoever was home in a similar matter, “Pardon the intrusion.” 

Light footsteps slowly came closer until a short, black haired woman appeared from the kitchen. Her face immediately lit up as her eyes fell on Kita. 

“You must be Shinsuke!” 

The woman who emerged from the kitchen was presumably Atsumu’s mom, noting that the twins most likely got their eyes and natural hair color from her. Her presence was also completely different from the twin’s unapproachable demeanor. She had hospitable eyes and a friendly smile that would make anyone feel right at home. 

“Yes, I am. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you Mrs. Miya.” 

The older woman looked like she was going to faint from happiness. She walked over to Kita and cupped his hands in hers, “Sheesh!” She took a good look at him and her smile grew even wider. “‘Tsumu told me you were handsome and well-mannered but that was such an understatement! ” 

Atsumu made a noise of embarrassment, but before he could say anything, she quickly let go of her grasp on Kita and motioned for both boys to come further in the house. 

“Come on in, make yourself at home! Dinner isn’t ready yet, but it’ll be done soon,” She turned around to give Atsumu a pointed look. “‘Tsumu take Shinsuke to your room while you wait, ‘Samu is already in there. I’ll see you soon!” With that, Mrs. Miya ducked back into the kitchen with a hop in her step.

After a few moments of stunned silence in response to Mrs. Miya’s sudden, tumultuous entrance, Atsumu spoke up, “...what the heck just happened?” 

Kita brought his hand under his chin, pretending he was in deep thought, “I think she said something about you calling me ‘handsome and well-mannered’?” 

Atsumu held his hand up and looked away in shame, “Oh god, please forget what she said. Just- just follow me to my room before she snatches you up or somethin'. I’m afraid she’s gonna pop outta nowhere and hug you to death.” 

Kita, extremely entertained by the whole situation, nodded and followed him through the hallway. The hard wooden floor creaked beneath them as they walked. The light brown walls of the hallway also matched with the other interior walls of the house, giving off a very homey and warm vibe. They finally reached Atsumu's room, which was decorated with a sign that had “Atsumu + Osamu” scribbled in childish writing, written in what seemed like red and blue crayon, respectively. 

They entered the room to see Osamu laying at the top bunk playing a handheld console with his red volleyball windbreaker hanging haphazardly from the edge of his bunk. He was still in the same clothes that he changed into after practice earlier; Kita assumed he most likely plopped onto his bed right when he got home and didn’t move since. 

“Oi, Kita’s here by the way,” Atsumu warned, knocking on the foot of his twin’s bed to catch his attention. 

Osamu visibly flinched and immediately put down whatever he was playing to sit upright, “Osu.”

Kita waved his hand dismissively, “We’re not at practice, you don’t need to address me like that. A simple ‘Hi’ is fine.” 

Osamu obediently nodded and then hesitantly sat down with his back to the wall, positioning himself to be a bit more presentable this time. Dating Atsumu or not, Kita knew that Osamu both feared and respected him immensely. He was always quick to follow his orders, in and out of practice. 

“So yup, this is our room. Not really much to say about it, you can make yourself comfy on my bed, which is the bottom bunk, or sit on the rolling chair at our study table.” 

Kita decided to take a seat on one of the rolling chairs at the study desk, placing his things underneath the table. Dragging his pointer finger at the surface, he inspected his finger, “I’m surprised this isn’t piled with cobwebs and dust.”

“Hey! I do study, maybe not as much as you and Omimi do, but I’m a student too. Us student athletes have to meet certain academic requirements.” 

“‘Didn’t you almost get put on academic probation 'cuz ya didn’t score good on your exams?” Osamu interjected. 

“Oh quit tryna look like a good student ‘Samu! What about last week, where you overslept and made us late for school 'cuz ya stayed up all night playing Animal Crossing.” 

“That’s only ‘cuz ya took too long deciding on an island name.” 

“See, this is why I don’t understand why we have to share that game together. It’s hard enough we gotta share an island but you’re finishin’ everythin' leaving me with nothin’ to do.” 

“The hell are you salty for? Ya just didn’t have enough money to buy yourself your own copy cuz ya blew all your money on the new version of Winning Eleven.” 

“Hey, for the record, you play that more than me. So I should be hearing a ‘thank you’ right now!” 

Their argument was cut off abruptly when the door creaked open, revealing their Mom, who was blatantly annoyed,“Don’t tell me you guys are arguing in front of Shinsuke! You lot best have more manners when we have guests over.” She let out an exasperated sigh and folded her arms. “Anywho, 'Tsumu, can you help your Dad bring in some groceries to the kitchen? He’s pulled up front.” 

Atsumu frowned at his twin, who mockingly stuck out his tongue in response.

“Alright, coming,” Atsumu reluctantly said. He lightly touched the crook of Kita’s elbow as an apology and whispered, “Sorry, I’ll be back.” 

“Take your time.”

With that, Atsumu left and his footsteps slowly faded into the hallway. Kita decided to busy himself by taking a better look at their room. 

The twins shared a bunk bed: Osamu on the upper part and Atsumu on the bottom. Next to their bed were two matching wooden drawers and a larger closet of the same tan color. That closet was littered with stickers that were either half peeled off or were only left with what looked like the remnants of old sticker backings. On the left of their beds was the door to what Kita assumed was their shared bathroom, though he couldn’t see anything other than that, since the door was shut. 

Kita then turned to look at the table in front of him. There were normal things you would usually find at a study desk: a standard table lamp, a calendar, pieces of scratch paper, books, the like. But what really caught Kita’s attention was the large display cabinet right above where he was sitting. 

There were two awards that were propped up proudly on the display board staring Kita right in the face: the first being a mahogany finished wooden plaque with a gold volleyball etched in the center. On the bottom, it had the words: 

_Best Server Award_

_Atsumu Miya_

_Yako Middle School_

The other was one was a medium sized, transparent glass trophy in the shape of a volleyball with fancy lettering that read: 

_Inter-High Tournament: Best Server Award_

_Atsumu Miya_

_Inarizaki High School_

Kita immediately recognized that one in particular as Atsumu won that award not too long ago. At the Inter-High volleyball tournament the past Fall, he was highly recognized and praised by both the spectators and its participants. Kita believed that no one else was more deserving of the title other than Atsumu. He was someone who gave his 110% when everyone else gave 100% and would do things from both A-Z and Z-A because of his sheer curiosity and love for the sport. 

Finally in the middle, was a framed photo of a young Osamu and Atsumu. Judging by the uniforms they were wearing, it looked like it was a photo of them at their middle school volleyball club. Atsumu wore a bright, open mouthed smile with his arm slung around his brother, who passively held up a peace sign with his right hand. 

_Guess they haven’t changed too much,_ Kita thought. 

As he hummed a random melody while looking at other mementos from the twins, he couldn’t help but feel like a particular pair of golden brown eyes were watching him carefully, almost gauging the atmosphere for perfect timing. Deciding to break the silence first, Kita spoke up, 

“Somethin’ bothering you, Osamu?”

“Huh? What makes you think that?”

“I can feel you burnin’ my back with your eyes y’know.” 

Kita faintly heard the sound of Osamu’s bed sheets rustling behind him and a “click” of a power switch on a video game. After a few moments of thick silence, Osamu finally replied, 

“Do you love Atsumu, Kita?”

Kita wasn’t sure of what kind of conversation Osamu wanted to have with him, but this definitely was not what he was expecting. 

He turned around in his chair to look incredulously at Osamu, who was now sitting completely upright in his bed again. The atmosphere in the room took a complete 180 once Atsumu left: in comparison to his usual irritation from his brother being here a couple minutes ago, Osamu now had a strange agitated aura to him. Kita studied the other boy’s face for any signs of mischievousness, but no jeers or taunting facial expressions came. 

Osamu was being completely serious. 

Kita furrowed his brows in genuine confusion, “Of course I do, Osamu. Do you think I would still be with him if I didn’t?” 

He averted his eyes, as if he was unsure of the territory he was crossing, “Would it change your view of me if I said that I was thinkin’ you just might be?” 

Kita felt his heart drop slightly. Was he really coming off that way? 

He responded with caution, “No, that’s a valid statement, I’m not upset that you think that way. But tell me, how did you come to that conclusion all of a sudden?” 

Osamu scratched his head, “I mean, you’re the team captain. Calm, cool, collected, intelligent. But Atsumu is...well—him. I knew he had the hugest crush on you since our first year but I never expected you to return his feelings. I was the first one he told when you guys started dating, I was happy for him 'cuz he would always talk my ear off about ya. But, I just couldn’t help but feel skeptical about your feelings towards him.”

“So you assumed I was only dating him because I felt bad?” 

Osamu stayed silent— that was all Kita had to know. 

“I’m not someone who puts their all into something I don’t love and you know that. I find no purpose in chasing meaningless things or temporary people.”

Despite the slight disappointment that Kita felt upon the revelation that Osamu thought their relationship was only for show, it made sense why he would think that his feelings for Atsumu weren’t true. Him and Atsumu were from two completely different worlds after all. They were polar opposites. Atsumu liked to draw attention to himself, while he preferred to stay behind the scenes. Atsumu called patting his hands on his trousers as drying them off while Kita carried two extra handkerchiefs on him at all times, just to be safe. Kita was push, the latter was pull. Perhaps their souls were crafted from two different stars that couldn’t help but be drawn to each other. 

Osamu asked, less hesitant this time, 

“Then… can you tell me how exactly you fell in love with him? I’m not trying to discredit what you said, but it’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that someone like you fell for a guy like him.” 

“I don’t know if i can give you a straightforward answer.” 

Now it was Osamu’s turn to be puzzled with his response. 

Kita continued, “It kind of just happened, to say the least. I always made it a point to take care of my team, but Atsumu was the most reckless one out of all of you. It started off with me nagging him to take care of himself. Like handing him an extra towel to wipe his sweat when he forgot his or buying him tea when he got sick. He used to get all weird and squeamish about it, but eventually, he started to accept my offerings and brightened up when I was around, almost like he looked forward to seeing me.” Kita smiled fondly at the memory. Atsumu slowly became someone who fit himself into the daily routine of his life and Kita found that he didn’t mind it one bit. I mean, when the sun is shining so brightly in front of you, wanting to see you day after day without fail, you can’t just ignore it. Basking in its warmth was the one thing Kita let himself indulge in. 

“At that point, those little things I did for him became less of a responsibility and more of a want for me. I realized that I wanted to be by his side when he was having a bad day. I wanted to be the first one to hear his good news. I wanted to be with him because I cared about him. Not as a star player or our vital setter, but as him, Atsumu. The realization that my feelings for him were no longer between captain and teammate, but just as _us_ , was something that took me a while to come to terms with. I denied it for a while, actually. Told myself it was just me getting carried away with my captain responsibilities.” 

“So what made you come to terms with it?” 

Kita made a sour face, this wasn’t a story he liked to tell because it was just so out of character for him, but he felt like it was necessary to do so in order to convince Osamu that his feelings were true. He sighed, “One time during lunch, I had to hunt him down to sign forms for our club outing, if you remember— the one for the yearly shrine visit? He was absent from practice when coach handed them out because he was sick, so he had me drop off Atsumu’s consent form when he came back to school. I hadn’t seen him since I gave him that “get well” package a few days prior, so I wasn’t sure how he reacted to that.” Till this day, Kita still didn’t know whether his reaction was a positive one or if he simply just took it and left the gym without sparing any other thought. But he did notice that ever since then, Atsumu had been much quieter when he was around. He decided not to think much of it.

“I was about to enter his classroom for a quick chat about the details of the outing when I saw Atsumu talking to a friend. They weren’t doing anything out of the ordinary— they were just talking and laughing over lunch. He looked a lot happier after recovering from his cold.” Kita looked at his hands that were folded on his lap and grimaced, “It was really out of character for me, and I usually never let small things get under my skin, but when I saw them laughing together, I just... left. Didn’t give him the forms till the day after. All because I felt jealous. The only thought that I kept replaying in my head was ‘ah, I want him to look at me like that too’.”

Kita paused. 

“Was that selfish of me to think?” 

“No,” Osamu responded. “It’s not selfish at all.” 

“I hope not.” Kita felt himself relax in his seat. Love to him was not controlling nor did it hold their loved one back. He made sure he was more than supportive of Atsumu’s drive to charge forward and to do things that didn’t include him. “He’s his own person, and I would love for him to have people in his life that aren't me. But I couldn’t help but feel a little threatened at that moment.” 

Osamu nodded in understanding, “Well, ya don’t got anything to worry about, Kita. Atsumu loves ya to the moon and back, and I know that because your relationship is the only thing he puts his effort into besides volleyball.” He gave him a sheepish look, rubbing the back of his neck. “And I guess I have to thank you too, he’s been a lot more mellowed out since you guys got together. He’s trying to be more patient and understanding, believe it or not. I’m not lying when I say he’s really got it bad for you. I just wanted to make sure he wouldn’t come home cryin’ and fallin’ over his ass 'cuz you didn’t really love him in the first place. I mean, is it selfish of me, as his brother, to be a little cautious about that?” 

“No,” Kita replied, with a slight smile on his face. “It’s not selfish of you to think at all.” It was nice to see Osamu looking out for him. He knew neither of them would ever admit to their appreciation and care for each another out loud, but this was enough.

“I hope it wasn’t,” The other boy laughed lightly at Kita’s mirrored response. The tension in the room seemed to have vanished as Osamu visibly relaxed and slouched his back to the wall once again. “I trust you, Kita. If you say you love my idiot brother, then who am I to argue?”

In perfect timing, Atsumu bursted into the room, making Osamu almost fall out of his bed in surprise. 

“Guys, dinner’s ready, let’s eat!” 

Osamu’s initial shock quickly changed back into his usual mix of passive irritation. He begrudgingly made his way down from his bunk, “What the hell? Learn to freakin’ knock, ‘Tsumu.” 

There was the Osamu that Kita knew. 

Sibling relationships were hard to nail down, Kita was an only child after all. One second Osamu is willing to fight for his brother’s happiness and the next he’s cussing him out. But it’s the Miya twins he was dealing with, their brotherhood was something no one could understand except them. 

With that, the three made their way to the dining room. 

* * *

When they got there, Mr. Miya was already sitting on the table reading through papers. He looked up from his work and plainly greeted, “Hello, Shinsuke.” 

Atsumu’s voice rang in his head. _“More on the quieter side for sure, but you know he’s always thinking ‘bout something. Super nonchalant and likes to be left alone."_

Atsumu was right about one thing. His demeanor was very contrasting to their Mother’s— he was more reserved and serious. His features were different from everyone else as well: light brown hair that was slicked back, dark brown eyes, and sported circular reading glasses. Nevertheless, Kita put on his best manners and offered a polite smile. 

“Hello, Mr. Miya. It’s nice to meet you.”

The older man simply nodded and went back to reading. 

“Taking your work home again, Dad?” Osamu asked, sliding in the seat next to him. He peeked over at the reading material he was so focused on. “Sheesh, your students won’t give you a break these days.” 

“Well when yer nearin’ finals week, what can ya do?” Mr. Miya replied, sifting through his papers. Kita noticed that he had a thicker accent compared to the other Miya family members. It was subtle, but Kita could tell that he probably grew up in a very traditional Hyogo household deep in the countryside, judging from the intonations of his words. 

“Maybe take a break once in a while? Yer eyes must be strainin’ real bad by now. I’ve seen ya read paper after paper for a week straight,” Atsumu said. He took a seat across from his Dad and Kita followed suit, pulling out the chair on the right of him. 

The dining room was small, but comfortable, with only a dark furnished table and 5 chairs around it. The table was already set up for dinner: glasses of water along with a full pitcher for refills, various seasonings and condiments, a red and black box that contained chopsticks, a rice cooker, and plates. Behind him was the kitchen, where Mrs. Miya was busy fixing their food for tonight. 

“I keep telling him to take a break! But he’s a workaholic, I tell ya.” Mrs. Miya reappeared from the kitchen with two large bowls: one with glazed, tofu patties and the other filled to the brim with shucked lettuce and sliced tomatoes. Judging from the amazing smell and steam it emitted, they were definitely fresh off of the stove. She placed them on the middle of the table for everyone to grab. 

Tonight they were having tofu hamburgers: Kita’s favorite. 

“‘Tsumu told me that this was your favorite food, Shinsuke. So I thought I outta try my hand at making it. I’ve never made it before so I had ‘Samu search up videos on Youtube for us to follow. We made them before you boys came in.” 

Kita looked at Atsumu in surprise, who shyly smiled back. He mentioned it once in conversation a long time ago, but he didn’t think the other boy would remember such a minuscule detail. 

Mrs. Miya took a seat next to her husband and clasped her hands together. Everyone on the dining table followed suit, 

“Let’s eat!” 

After their customary greeting, Osamu quickly went to grab his share of food when his Mom swatted his hand away, “‘Samu, guests go first.” 

He muttered an apology and then politely offered the bowl to Kita, motioning him to help himself first instead. Atsumu stifled a laugh upon seeing his brother get in trouble, earning a glare from his twin in return.

Kita thanked him and graciously took the silverware from his grasp. He took a couple pieces onto his plate and then filled the rest of the space with fresh vegetables and steamed rice. He used the small dispenser of furikake to add some flakes to the top of his rice as a finishing touch. Just looking at the meal before him, he forgot how hungry he was; he hadn’t eaten since the afternoon during his designated lunch time at school.

Once he was satisfied with what was in front of him, he passed the bowl of tofu patties to Mrs. Miya, who waved dismissively, “I’ll take last, here, _now_ you can help yourself ‘Samu.” 

Osamu grumbled as he grabbed the plate from his mom and took a heaping amount. _That boy sure can eat_ , Kita thought. He wondered just how much money their family spent on groceries to sustain the bottomless pits the twins called stomachs. 

Before eating, Kita said a silent prayer to the Gods, a little habit he picked up from his grandma. He wasn’t as religious as she was, but it wouldn’t feel right if he hadn't expressed his gratitude to whoever was watching him. He then took a pair of plain black chopsticks from the box at the center of the table and used it to take a bite of his food. 

Despite it being Mrs. Miya’s first time cooking it, it was prepared the way that Kita liked— golden brown with a crispy exterior. The sauce that accompanied the burger not only heightened the flavor, but helped the tofu retain its moisture. With every bite he took, he tasted varying undertones of savory and umami— it was quite addicting. He could feel all of the love that was put into it, he had to give Osamu credit too. Sure that boy ate as a hobby, but all the time he spends in the kitchen was definitely not just him snacking, he was a great cook as well. 

“Well,” Mrs. Miya began, after everyone was a few bites into their dinner. “Since this is the first time any of my sons has brought someone home before, I do have a lot of questions I want to ask, I’ve been thinkin’ about them all night.” 

“She really was,” Mr. Miya added in between bites. “Been wrackin’ her brain about what ‘ta say, how ‘ta act, guesses on who Atsumu’s bringin’ home.” 

She pushed her husband lightly on his right arm, making him sway a little, “I was just worried! I wanted to leave a good impression, it’s not too often we have guests over." Taking a delicate bite of her food, she asked, “So, pray tell, how did you two meet?” 

Atsumu choked on his food. She sure was straightforward. Maybe the Miyas all shared bluntness as a part of their personality. 

Kita rubbed the other boy’s back, in an attempt to soothe him as he spiraled into a coughing frenzy. Deciding to take over the conversation before Atsumu either dies of embarrassment because of his Mom or passes out from food being lodged in his throat, Kita replied on behalf of them, “We met through our volleyball club at school. I knew him when I was a second year and he was a first year, but we ended up getting much closer when I became captain.” 

“Oh?” Mrs. Miya gasped, as if Kita just said something scandalous. “‘Tsumu, you didn’t tell me he was the volleyball captain! And older than you? How in the world did ya manage to pull that off?” 

“What the heck is that supposed to mean, Mom?!”

She ignored her son’s protest and paid heed to Kita instead, “Let me guess, was it his looks? Or maybe his talent? Or the way he does his hair?” 

“Definitely not the hair,” Osamu cut in. 

Mr. Miya snorted. 

Atsumu gave his brother a deadpanned look, “We have the same hair, ‘Samu. It’s just flipped a different direction and dyed blond.” 

“Shh! Shinsuke is trying to say something,” Mrs. Miya scolded. She smiled sweetly at him once again, “Sorry, what was that, sweetie?” 

Kita felt a blush creep up at his cheeks, “Ah, well those were bonuses of course. But I really just liked him for who he was. The good and the bad. He became someone who grew on me as we got closer throughout the year. His drive, his passion, his never-ending energy, and a lot of other things drew me in.” 

“Aw, well now ain’t that the sweetest thing? What about you ‘Tsumu, what’s your favorite thing about him?” 

“Watch out Mom, he might give ya a whole speech,” Osamu snickered. 

“No I won’t! Why would I do that? Wouldya quit-” Atsumu stopped his retort midway to give Kita a panicked look, as if he was worried that he would take his words the wrong way. The fear of hurting Kita’s feelings inadvertently was probably the reason why, instead of arguing with his brother, he sighed and pushed an untouched piece of tofu around his plate, “I mean, yeah I could go on and on about why I liked him, or love him, I should say. But if ya really want to know, it would be how he’s a good, humble person. Makes me wanna be better too.” 

Everyone on the table seemed surprised by Atsumu's sudden change of character. Usually, he wouldn’t back down from an argument or didn’t hesitate to defend himself if he was teased. If anyone who had known Atsumu in any capacity saw the way he caught his tongue and answered earnestly, they would be worried for his health. Kita was quick to find that Atsumu became a totally different person when he was around, even if he still stumbled from time to time, he was a lot more conscious of what he said and tried his hardest to be less temperamental. Kita told him that he didn't need to change himself in order to be with him because he loved him for who he was, but Atsumu insisted that he didn't want to be the one who was taken care of all the time. He promised that if he was going to be with Kita, he was going to make sure that he was a good boyfriend that he could rely on too. 

“Atsumu… you’ve grown up,’ Mr. Miya said, looking extremely touched. 

“Dad, why are you gettin’ emotional?” 

“Stop! Yer gonna make me tear up,” Mrs. Miya hid her face in her husband’s shoulder.

“Yer not the irritable son we know anymore.”

“Oh how time flies.”

“Are you guys serious, what do ya take me for, an unfeeling jerk?” Before anyone could say anything, he quickly added, “Don’t answer that ‘Samu.” 

Kita was dumbfounded on how to react. He wasn’t sure whether to agree that he has matured in a bit in the last couple months or to comfort his parents and say that they shouldn't worry because deep down their son is still as irritable as ever. 

“Sorry, for—” Atsumu’s eyes darted from his parents and back to him, “them.” 

He shook his head, “I think it’s a good thing your parents care about you. But you should say something, look, you’re making them cry.” He nodded over to his parents again, who looked like they were going to burst into tears right there— Mrs. Miya was gripping onto the sleeve of the older man’s shirt, who was eating his food in a slow, but overly happy way. Osamu, in the midst of this, looked like he was used to their theatrics, judging by how busy he was shoveling food into his mouth with no care for what was going on. 

“Trust me, I don’t even know why they’re gettin’ like that.” 

“Sorry, I just can’t help but feel touched,” Mrs. Miya lifted herself from her husband’s side and composed herself once more, “I'm over the moon ‘Tsumu found someone who is such a good influence on him. I wanted him to find someone who not only makes him happy, but also someone who inspires him too. I have no doubt that you are treating him well, Shinsuke?” 

“I am.” 

“He is.” 

He whipped his head to the latter, who did the same.

How corny was that? 

Kita’s lips twitched into a small smile. 

“Waterworks! Just waterworks!” Mrs. Miya was fanning her eyes. Her husband pushed her cup of water closer to her, urging her to take a drink. She obliged and drank one huge gulp. “Whew, okay gotta calm down. Stay cool. Our guest can’t see me like this.” 

“I think it’s too late for that, Mom. You might be scarin’ Kita away.” 

“Oh don’t be like that, ‘Samu. You’ll fall in love and find someone like your brother too. Can’t ya be happy for him?”

Kita gave him a look, 

_You gonna say something?_

To which Osamu made a face, 

_Nope, that stays between us._

He shrugged, acting unbothered, “I mean, I don't mind it.” 

Kita thought it was funny to see him deny the worries he had for his brother less than an hour ago. Their conversation was probably something he would take to the grave, which was very much expected knowing Osamu. 

“Whatever you say, kiddo.” She said, pouring more water into her cup. She filled her husband's glass and motioned for them to bring theirs for a refill as well. “Now, I’m dyin’ to know, who confessed first? Was it you, Shinsuke? My son is awfully shy around ya, I can’t imagine him having the guts to even tell ya!” 

He took his cup from the older woman, “A lot of people assumed that, but it was Atsumu who told me his feelings first, to tell the truth.” 

“Heh, knowing Atsumu, he probably made some grand gesture like givin’ ya huge bouquet of flowers or bowed and held out his hand in confession ‘till ya take it.”

“Oh no, it wasn’t anything like that. He confessed his feelings to me in a letter that he had one of my classmates slip into my bag before class.” 

“Really?” Mr. Miya's eyes were wide in disbelief. “Huh, who woulda thought he could be subtle fer once.” 

“Hey ‘Tsumu, how much do I have to pay for you to let me read that letter?” Osamu asked. 

“If ya manage to snag it, I’d like to give it a read too,” Mrs. Miya added. 

“No. No, never in a million years, no.” 

“Why not? I’m sure everyone is curious. It’d be nice to see ya more in touch with your emotions sometimes, there’s nothing wrong with being open about your love for him.” She gave her son a devious look. “Unless, you don’t actually love him?”

Atsumu slammed his hands on the table,“O-of course I love him. I literally just explained why like 5 seconds ago!” 

“I’m just doggin’ on ya, ‘Tsumu! I had my fair share of crushes y’know, it’s normal. Heck, I remember I even had a crush on the baseball team’s captain back in high school, I didn’t even play softball or anything!” She leaned her head on her hand and looked in the distance wistfully. “I was just a swimmer who was taken by his dashin’ looks.” 

“Oh, was that you, Mr. Miya?” Kita asked, in an attempt to save Atsumu from his Mom’s plethora of questions. Despite it being at the expense of his boyfriend’s dignity, Kita found the banter between the Miyas to be kind of entertaining. The situation was pretty much a 3-1 rally on who can rag on him the most. For some reason, he assumed that Atsumu’s bullying stopped at Osamu and their teammates, but he was wrong. Guess he couldn’t catch a break at home with his parents either. 

“Nope, that was my friend.” 

“Awkward,” Osamu blurted. 

“It’s not awkward,” She pouted. “It was only a crush, nothing too deep. However, I am a strong believer of the idea that things need to happen in your past in order to bring you to where you need to be in the future. If I hadn’t had my heart broken by him, then I wouldn’t have been able to be with your Dad.” 

“She’s right. When I found out that he rejected her, I was thinkin’, how dumb do ya gotta be? So I let her be on her own for a while, heartbreak takes a toll on ya. And once I felt the timing was right, I started talkin’ 'ta her.” 

“Haha! Remember when you would always wait for me when I was done with swim practice just so you can walk with me to the train station? You didn’t even talk much because you were still nervous.” 

“Ya don’t gotta remind me. I didn’t want ‘ta scare ya by comin’ on too strong.”

“Love is patient,” Mrs. Miya chirped. 

Kita found it heartwarming to see that they were still so in love after all those years. It eased any lingering doubts he had in the back of his mind about Atsumu. Memories of when he asked him out behind the gym came rushing back to him. Though he did feel the same way towards the other boy, he was a bit hesitant about dating because of the fact that he was older than him. Time, distance— those were two factors that could either make love grow or destroy it. When he expressed that to Atsumu, the other boy swore on his heart that no matter how long it takes, he would wait for Kita. Even when (not if) he goes pro, even if Kita moves to somewhere far away for college, he’ll be there. Just hearing that promise from him was enough for Kita to give in and indulge in the feelings he held inside himself for so long. 

He didn’t need to feel afraid because he knows that even though he will graduate and go to college ahead of Atsumu, he knows that the latter will be there, waiting patiently. Because as Mrs. Miya had so rightfully put it, love is patient. It is willing to brave any storm or rocky ride; it is cautious yet courageous. 

“Shinsuke,” Mr. Miya snapped him out of his thoughts. “I’ve been meanin’ ‘ta ask ya. Atsumu told me that you were takin’ honors classes, is that correct?”

“I am. I was placed in class 3-7 this year because of all the advanced courses I’m taking. They’re a mixture of college prep classes and general honors classes.”

He made a noise of approval. “I did the same exact thing when I was in high school too. Wanted ‘ta get ahead and took as many honors courses as I could, worked my tail off. I’m sure ya know the ‘ol struggle of keeping up with yer grades while playin’ a sport.” 

“I do, it can be a lot sometimes, but I enjoy working hard and setting up good future for myself. People praise me saying that they wish they had my smarts or work ethic, but I just do what needs to be done.” 

“Guess we have somethin' in common. Workin’ hard and bein' satisfied by the process.” 

“The journey is just as important as the destination is what I believe.” 

“Ha! So do I. Yer real wise fer yer age, Shinsuke. Now I know why they made ya captain.” 

“No one was expectin' him to be captain this year, but coach ended up makin' a good choice. I don’t think there’s anyone else that would be more fitting for the role than him,” Atsumu locked eyes with Kita, brimming with pride. He continued, “Trust me when I say this Dad, Kita is amazin’ at what he does. Keeps us and the rest of the team on our toes.”

“Can’t argue with that. Comin' from Atsumu who has ridiculous standards, ya definitely are impressive,” Mr. Miya agreed. “Say, now that we're on the topic of school, whatcha thinkin’ ‘bout’ studyin’ when ya get ‘ta college, if ya don’t mind me askin'? I’m sure that’s been on yer mind as a third year.”

This was a question that Kita knew would come up at some point. Thankfully, he has put a lot of thought into it, especially since his teachers are now pushing him to think about his future. “I was thinking something along the lines of both economics and environmental science.” 

“I don’t know too much ‘bout environmental science, but if yer strugglin’ with yer economics courses, I can help ya out. I teach economics at a small college a little ways in town,” Mr. Miya pointed a thumb at himself proudly. 

Kita’s initial impression of Mr. Miya was completely washed away. He presented himself to standoff-ish at first, but when you sit down and have a real conversation with him, he was extremely easy going. Atsumu’s earlier comment about his innate introversion and need for space still rang true, however. He gave Kita the feeling that he was one of those people who will only talk to you if you talk to them, not that that was a character flaw per se, but it was just that people like Mr. Miya liked to preserve their energy for people who take the time to get to know them. 

“That would be wonderful.” 

“Oh look at you two gettin’ along!” Mrs. Miya gushed. “Subjects like that aren’t really my cup of tea and I feel bad I can only just listen to him when he talks about it. Who woulda thought Shinsuke could be someone you could relate to!” 

“I’m honored,” Kita chuckled. “Do you work for a school too, Mrs. Miya?”

“Oh no, these two are enough children for me to handle," She glanced over at her sons her were stuffing their faces with food. "I actually work as a hairstylist at a shop not too far from here. I knew I wanted to do somethin’ in that field since I was a munchkin, I loved doin' hair, mine and my friends included. I even started dyeing my Mom's one when she started growing white strands! So after years of practice and goin’ to school, here I am!” She beamed, her eyes wrinkling in a smile. “My parents wanted me to go through a different career path, saying that they wished I went to law school or pursued a medical profession, but I followed my own passions. Life is all about expressin' yourself— so styling hair and colorin’ it funky is how I help people do it too.” 

“Yeah, she was the one that dyed our hair 'cuz people always got ‘Samu and I mixed up at school,” Atsumu shared. “So we thought ‘why not?’ it’ll make it easier for everyone anyways.” 

“Inarizaki isn’t strict about having natural hair colors like other schools are,” She gave an annoyed look to her sons. “Though I had them choose their colors, of course. They didn’t like the ones I picked out for them.” 

“‘Tsumu wanted to have red highlights at first but I told him he would look like he was going through a bad emo phase,” Osamu said, mouth full of food. 

Mr. Miya smirked, “Then he got mad and tried ‘ta mix up yer hair dye so that ya would have an ugly green instead of grey.” 

“Osamu with green hair?” Kita said, trying to imagine that in his head. It did not look pretty. 

“Don’t even imagine it,” Osamu interjected, full of dread. 

“Too late, I already did. And it’s as bad as I thought it would be,” Atsumu mocked. 

“Don’t get mad if your shampoo makes your hair a funny color this week.”

“My shampoo?” Atsumu said defiantly. “Bold of you to assume that you wouldn’t need to pay attention to yours first!” 

“Pay close attention to what?” Mrs. Miya’s smile was everything but friendly. 

That shut the both of them up.

They ate the rest of their dinner as they continued to talk about all the wild things the twins did in their childhood. Aran even came up into conversation at some point since they went to middle school together. Their parents were delighted to know that Kita and Aran were really close friends as well. 

“So Aran is the court captain while yer the official team captain?” Mr. Miya questioned. 

“Yes, it’s only because I’m not a regular like Aran is.” 

“Bah, don’t sweat it, Shinsuke. I wasn’t a regular on my team 'til my third year. I went ‘ta a powerhouse school known for baseball thinkin’ I was the best. I was a fool believin’ I would be a starter right off the bat. Ya never know what kinda talent is out there, it humbles ya big time.” 

“I agree. But I don’t mind that I’m not a starter, I’m very grateful that I have the chance to be on a team where my teammates are amazing at what they do.” 

Mr. Miya looked stunned as if he wasn’t expecting that kind of answer from him, but then let out a hefty laugh in good nature, “I like the way ya look at things, Shinsuke.” 

Once they all had their fill, Mr. Miya gathered all of the dirty dishes to place onto the sink and Mrs. Miya went to grab something from their fridge. When they returned to the dining table, she held a smaller plate that had batch of handmade mochi while Mr. Miya carried a tray of cold barley tea. They placed a couple pieces of mochi on a small napkin for everyone on the table and had them pass cups of tea around for each person. 

Kita and the twins thanked them for dessert and quickly began to eat. After all of the conversations and great food he had tonight, he was feeling spoiled rotten, simply moved by how welcoming and hospitable the Miya family was towards him. 

“I hope ya like daifuku mochi, Shinsuke. We’re a family who loves some good _anko_ in our desserts, but I hadn’t stopped to think if you minded it, sorry about that.” Mrs. Miya apologized. 

Kita shook his head, “Oh no, don’t apologize, I love daifuku mochi. When the new year comes along, I make plain mochi to put inside our _ozouni_ and another batch of daifuku for after dinner. It's been a tradition for me to make those for the family since I was a kid. Nowadays, I can make them by myself without help from my grandma. I learned a lot about cooking and baking from her growing up.” 

“He cooks too! I’m seriously gonna cry!” Mrs. Miya exclaimed, dramatically bringing an arm to her eyes. She pointed to Atsumu in accusation with her other hand, “‘Tsumu, how did ya get so lucky with a guy like Shinsuke! He’s smart, respectful, handsome, and a good cook whereas you, who last night, fell asleep on the living room couch with a half eaten bar of Meiji chocolate sittin’ on yer chest. And that chocolate wasn’t even yours, that was ‘Samu’s!”

“Wait, is that where it went?” 

“N-no…” 

Mrs. Miya turned to Kita and leaned in, “Shinsuke, I know he’s not perfect. He lies about eating his brother’s food, he borrows things without telling ya, and he doesn’t listen to what people tell him. It’s terrible. But just know he loves you very much. If you need anything, anything at all, just let me know. I’m going to make sure my son treats you the way you deserve.”

“Mom!”

“Ah, thank you for the offer, I’ll be sure to let you know.” 

Atsumu looked at him in horror, “Not you too, Kita!”

Everyone on the table bursted into laughter. 

“Welcome to the family, Shinsuke,” Mr. Miya chuckled.

“Oh? Is raggin’ on ‘Tsumu part of the family initiation? Because if it is, I got no complaints.” 

“Shut yer trap ‘Samu!” 

_The Miya family sure has some interesting personalities_ , Kita thought to himself. 

It was such a stark contrast to his own household, which was often quiet and empty. Not to say that it was sad because he did enjoy solitude over ruckus, it was just a nice change of pace to be at a dining table filled with conversations left and right. They were loud and playful, but it made the atmosphere all the more lively.

Perhaps that’s the reason why Atsumu was the way he was. The personality he showcased to the world was confident, blunt, and fearless. His family was no different. From his Dad who didn’t care about praise and enjoyed the rush of working hard to his Mom who pursued her dreams even if her parents were against it, and finally to the twins who weren't afraid to try new things, the Miya family were so unapologetically themselves. People often got the wrong idea of Atsumu because of his brash confidence and innate drive to be the best, but if more people saw the way his family was, they would understand him much better. 

Sitting at the table with all of them made him feel so lucky to fall in love with someone like Atsumu. It was like he stumbled upon an intense, passionate being, who belonged to a family of even more fiery individuals. Just being around them made him feel alive. He couldn’t help but join in on the family banter himself because of the hilarious rhythm they had constantly going throughout the night.

“Wish I coulda seen the way your mother raided the house when Atsumu said he was almost home,” Mr. Miya said, wiping his hands with a napkin. He only ate one piece of mochi before he claimed he was full. 

“She freaked when she came into my room earlier and saw that I had a piece of trash on the ground,” Osamu groaned. 

“Well, I mean, you’ve been eating in our room so much we’ve been gettin’ roaches lately. Did I tell ya when I went to the bathroom a couple nights ago there was a giant roach? I was hollerin’ for ya to get it for me instead.” 

“Yeah, then I went back to sleep.” 

“I had to fend for myself!” 

“Does that mean Kita is the one that kills the roaches between the two of you?” 

“Sadly,” Kita responded. 

“Please, no more bug talk. It’s makin’ me feel weird,” Mr. Miya looked uncomfortable. 

“I tried to make the place as clean and neat as possible for tonight, don’t go tellin’ Shinsuke we got pests,” Mrs. Miya reprimanded. “Sorry about that, this house is always spiffy clean, so don’t be scared of no lil bugs being around ya, it’s only when those two don’t clean up after themselves does this place turn into a mess.” 

“Don’t worry about that Mrs. Miya, I think your house is beautiful. The interior was more than enough for me to feel at ease. When I first arrived, I was really impressed by all the flowers and plants outside. I liked what you did with your garden,” Kita commented, taking a thoughtful bite into his dessert. 

She perked up, “Oh, really? That’s so sweet of you to notice! It’s my pride and joy. I feel like it brings more life into this place, y’know? Do you like gardening too, Shinsuke?” 

“Yes, my granny and I garden together.” 

One of the things he took pride in was his garden: it was an ongoing project that him and his granny started when he was in Elementary school. Due to the fact that he was now busy all day because of high school and volleyball, the moments they spent weeding, watering, and getting their hands dirty were precious. Occasionally, she would bring home new plants that they would place in the garden, she always let him choose where to put it. 

“That’s the best way to bond if ya ask me! If you have good, positive energy around yourself as you garden, the plants will grow to be a lot more happier too. How often do ya go to your grandparent’s place for that? It’s fun but time consuming, I’m sure you may not have the time to do it during the week with school and whatnot.” 

“Ah, actually, my granny lives with me. At home, there’s only her, my mom, and I. It’s a small household,” Kita stared into his cup of barley tea with a hint of melancholy, looking at his reflection through the clear liquid. He always felt awkward talking about the family he had at home. “My mom is always at work, working double sometimes, so I spend a lot of time with my granny instead.” 

His mother’s absence because of obligations caused their relationship to not be as close as he would have liked. Sometimes he wished that he would see her more often or that she could at least take the time to chat with him before she goes about her day. But she remained as busy as ever, never catching a breather. So instead, he did all the things other people did with their mothers, with his granny.

He was expecting barreling questions about why his Mother had to work so much or why he didn’t mention his Father, like how the adults he spoke to often would, but to his surprise, Mrs. Miya simply extended Kita a warm smile, 

“I’m sure your mother is proud to have a son like you. Maybe she isn’t the best at expressin’ it, but it’s a mother’s instinct to love their child to the bone.” 

It never bothered Kita that his mother withheld words of affection or never seemed to have any interest in spending time with him, but hearing those words from Atsumu’s Mom left him feeling like a lost child again. The one who would wait at the kotatsu in their living room until midnight, hoping his Mom would come and swoop him up to bed. She hardly ever did that though. 

If he had to be completely honest with himself, seeing people like Atsumu, who had very doting, present mothers, made Kita feel a little disheartened when he thought of his own. Sometimes he felt like she didn’t love him at all. 

_“Maybe she isn’t the best at expressin’ it, but it’s a mother’s instinct to love their child to the bone.”_

She didn’t talk to him as much as his granny did, but perhaps she was just hesitant. However what she was hesitant about, Kita didn’t know, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to know why. 

He inhaled sharply. 

“Thank you, that—….that means a lot to me.” 

He knew that if he said anything more, his voice would have betrayed him.

 _Not here, I can’t get emotional here,_ he thought.

Although he was forcing himself not to show how he felt as he was still at the dining table, his eyes pricked up, much to his dismay. He was about to excuse himself to the restroom to calm down when suddenly, Atsumu slid his hand under the table to intertwine their fingers. 

His hands were so warm— the small gesture made his heart ache. 

Kita squeezed his hand in return. 

He may not feel very loved at home, but here, at the Miya household, there was more than enough love for him. And for that, he was eternally grateful.

* * *

“It’s starting to get late, did your Grandma want ya home anytime soon?” Atsumu asked. It was around 10:00PM, a bit later than Kita had intended to stay. His granny knew that he was going to Atsumu’s for dinner tonight, but he didn’t want to be out too late or else she would be worried sick; her biggest fear was him not coming home safely. 

Kita gave an apologetic look to Atsumu’s parents, “Ah if you don’t mind. I think I should be heading home soon, I wouldn’t want to trouble you if I stayed any longer.” 

“Don’t worry ‘bout it. Ya got a family of yer own too, don’t want ‘ta keep em waitin',” Atsumu’s dad smiled. “Yer free ‘ta make yerself at home here anytime.” 

Kita guessed that Mr. Miya didn’t say that to just anyone as Atsumu exchanged a look of surprise to his twin, who was just as shocked as him. Getting approval from Mr. Miya was not an easy feat, it seemed. 

“Thank you so much for tonight, Mr. and Mrs. Miya. I’m grateful you invited me over for the amazing meal,” Kita said with a courteous bow of his head. He did feel a bit sad about having to leave, but it was reassuring to know that he was welcome back any time. 

“The pleasure is all mine. ‘Tsumu brought such a lovely boy like you home and that’s enough for me to sleep well at night.” 

Kita bowed in appreciation once more before he stood up to leave the table in order to quickly fetch his things. Atsumu hastily got up from his seat and grabbed him by his wrist,

“Ah! I’ll... um walk you there. To the bus stop, I mean,” Atsumu stuttered. 

“Good idea, it’s getting late. Make sure he gets to the bus stop safely,” Mrs. Miya said. 

They went back to Atsumu’s room and Kita grabbed his things from the study table he was sitting at when he first came in. 

“Got everything?”

“Mmhmm.” 

After double checking the room for anything he might’ve accidentally left behind, Atsumu led Kita back out past the dining room and to the door, where his parents and Osamu were standing in front of, ready to bid him goodnight. 

Mrs. Miya pulled Kita into a tight hug, almost knocking the wind out of him. She pulled back and held him at arm’s length, “He loves you so much, Shinsuke. I ain’t ever seen ‘Tsumu happier than he was with you.” 

Kita’s cheeks felt warm, “I’m glad.” 

Letting go of him, she grinned, “Please come by again soon!” 

“Of course,” Kita smiled back. He then turned to the older man next to her. “Mr. Miya have a good night as well.” 

“Same ‘ta you, Shinsuke. Study hard.” 

“Later, Kita.” Osamu waved casually. 

“See you at school,” Kita replied. “And don’t be late for practice on Monday.” 

Osamu jolted, “Y-yes captain.” 

With that, the pair left the house. 

After they were a couple feet away, Kita reached out to hold onto the crook of Atsumu’s elbow. Just like how he has a habit of draping his jacket over his shoulders because he hated static, he also preferred this over holding hands because he didn't like how his palms would get sweaty after a while. Atsumu didn’t mind though, he claimed that it made it easier for him to wrap an arm around his shoulder when he felt like it. 

He leaned his head against Atsumu’s arm as they walked along the now dark neighborhood, illuminated by the streetlights. 

The wind whipped around their bodies, with only the sound of loose leaves blown up from the gravel. It was peaceful, just the way he liked it. He pressed the side of his face against the other boy’s strong arm, smelling the faint scent of cologne on him. 

“How did a graceful couple like that raise such wild children like you and your brother?” 

“You spend a night with my family and that’s all you have to say?!” 

Kita smirked, “You sure easy to rile up, huh?”

“Hmph,” Atsumu exhaled, sending his bangs up. “Also, I’m not forgiving you for joining in on my family’s roasting session by the way.” 

“It seemed fun, thought I’d take part.” 

“Not funny.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“Maybe it was a little funny.”

“Kita!” 

Atsumu moved to break free from Kita’s hold to lightly shove him in retort, but Kita dodged his advances. Laughing, he ruffled the blond's hair, which shut him up quickly, leaving him red faced. Even if he was a serious, mature person the majority of the time, being with Atsumu made him feel like a child in love for the first time— prodding jokes and a racing heart and all. He readjusted his grip onto the blond’s elbow again, hanging onto him with both hands now, for optimal proximity. 

“I truly mean it when I say I like being around your family.”

“Do ya? Even if they can be total nutjobs sometimes? I was thinkin' they might've scared ya away just a little.” 

Kita shook his head in disagreement, “No its nothing like that, they’re warm. It's...nice.” 

Atsumu nudged him to let go of his arm once again, to which Kita obliged so that the blond could drape his strong arm over his shoulders. “Like they said, you’re welcome any time. I’m pretty sure my Mom is going to be at hand at foot next time ya come over. Earlier she looked like she was gonna have a heart attack from how much she gushed about ya.” 

“Your Mom sure is something, I was a bit shocked by how forward she was at first, but I think that’s a part of her charm.” 

“Yup, loud and straightforward, but will literally die for you at any given moment.” 

“I don’t think you’re too far off with that. She looked like she was ready to drop everything for me— every time I said something to her, it looked like a piece of her soul left her body, I wasn’t sure what to do.” 

“Ha! Sounds about right.” 

“And your Dad too, I'm glad we both got along. He seemed serious at first so I was little apprehensive, but we ended up havin' a lot in common.”

“Yeah, I was thinkin' you would get along with him the most. He’s kinda like you where his logic is his number one thing, it's good 'cuz it balances out my mom’s impulsiveness.” 

_That relationship dynamic sounds familiar,_ Kita thought. 

“They work well together, regardless. You have a wonderful family.” 

“And I’m happy you’re part of it too.” 

Yes, that’s right. He would be able to come back into that bright, cheerful household whenever he wanted to. The mere thought of Atsumu’s family welcoming him with open arms made him feel so fortunate. Kita wrapped his free arm around the other boy’s waist, bringing them closer. Usually he wouldn’t be so straightforward with public affection like this, but he felt so awfully happy tonight. All of his self restraint was thrown out the window so he could show Atsumu just how appreciative he was of his family, of him, and of his love.

After a couple more minutes of walking, they finally got to the bus stop at the end of the street. Atsumu plopped down onto the cold, wooden bus stop bench and Kita took a seat next to him. He pulled out his phone to check when the bus was coming. 

_15 minutes away._

_Not too bad_ , he thought. 

He checked his phone for missed texts and calls, in case someone was trying to reach out to him while he was at dinner. He found looking at his phone during meals to be rude. He was sifting through a few group project chat messages and emails from school until Atsumu spoke up again. 

“Hey, um.” 

Atsumu scooted closer to Kita until he flushed against his side. He turned his body toward the other boy, but made no further movement. He looked around to see if anyone was around, and once he was sure the coast was clear, he cleared his throat. 

Kita knew exactly what this meant. 

He put his phone back in his pocket and opened his arms in invitation for Atsumu, who happily obliged. The blond crouched a little to find a comfortable position to hug him since he was the taller one between them. Once he was settled, Kita stroked his blond hair— Atsumu’s weakness. He ran his fingers through his gold locks: strands threading themselves perfectly between the gaps of his fingers, only for him to flatten them into place once again, all in one swift motion. Kita liked to do this when they cuddled or when Atsumu rested his head on his lap, sitting together in peaceful silence. Each time they had moments like this, where they had no need to speak because their quietness spoke volumes, Kita was reminded once again that love wasn’t always flashy and bold. Instead, it can be careful, tender, a breath away, but always watching.

“I'm so glad they loved you,” The other boy said, voice muffled against his body. Kita sighed in happiness and abandoned his efforts of messing with Atsumu’s hair to wrap his arms around the other boy’s back. He placed his chin on the crown of his head. 

“I love you so much, Kita. More than anythin’.” 

Kita smiled into the fluff of his boyfriend's hair, “Anythin’ huh? That’s bold.” He kissed the top of his head, causing Atsumu to snuggle into his embrace even more. “I love you too, Atsumu.” 

The blond lifted his head to be at eye-level with his boyfriend and gave him a knowing look— Atsumu always did this when he wanted him to initiate the kiss. The idea that the number one setter and one of the most revered high school volleyball players in Japan was still too shy to kiss his boyfriend first was extremely endearing to him. Kita laughed lightly at the thought before he cupped both of Atsumu’s cheeks with his hands, who immediately melted into his touch.

The air outside was cold and bitter but Atsumu’s presence made him forget he was even shivering. Kita slowly brought their faces together until their lips met. Kita made sure that every display of affection initiated between them was tender and gentle, his kisses were no exception. It started with their lips simply pressing against each other, until Atsumu began to move his lips against Kita’s. He was eager, but made sure not to be too much, most likely due to the fear of turning their sweet kiss into something darker. Kita deepened the kiss by tilting his head and moved his lips in response to the other boy’s advances. Atsumu made a noise and moved to thread his fingers in his gray hair. He tasted like the barley tea and mochi they had for dessert. Their lips molded perfectly into each other’s, almost as if they were two puzzle pieces meant to be together. Each time they kissed, whether it was lazy and quick or sloppy and desperate, it felt so right. 

When their breaths began to get ragged, Kita broke the kiss before things got too heated, earning a pout from the other boy. He dragged a loving thumb over Atsumu’s bottom lip to hush the protest that he knew would come about. Atsumu lightly pecked the pad of his thumb and then moved to press their foreheads against each other, exchanging breaths that mixed into the cold summer air. 

The reflection of the moon shining behind him made him look absolutely stunning. His lips were plump from kissing and his cheeks were dusted a rosy pink. The usual fierceness of Atsumu’s deep, golden brown eyes were replaced with ones of bashful adoration. This was the loving look he gave to Kita and to him only. Whenever they were alone, he always had that same look in his eyes. There was something so raw and private about the people they became behind closed doors. 

To his classmates, Atsumu was the confident, popular athlete. To their teammates, Atsumu was their bratty, star setter. To his family, Atsumu was the loud, unpredictable twin.

But to Kita, Atsumu was his one and only. His precious love. His beautiful boy. 

And nothing will ever change that. 

**Author's Note:**

> I like to believe that after this, Kita is always invited to family dinners and parties because of how much Atsumu's parents adored him! I mean, who wouldn't? I hope you enjoyed reading this as much I had enjoyed writing this :')


End file.
